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Electronically Translated Text

Heavy rain and strong south-west winds, which banked up the Swan River at Fre mantle, yesterday, were responsible for it attaining the highest level vet recorded

this winter. Floods occurred in the Swan, Uuildford, Bassendean and Bayswater dis tricts and several roads and bridges are under water. Traffic between Guildford and Caver8ham was disorganised, owing to portion of the main road being i in pas sable, except for horse-drawn vehicles. The load between Cavcrshaai and Bassendean was also threatened, and it' the position lit comes worse settlers in the L'avershaui district will have to make a wide detour to establish communication with other districts by way of the Uiugiii-voud. At Guildford the river rose lft. oin. between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Near Middle Swan the river was four feet above its normal level and half a mile wide. The Helena River was unable to discharge adequately into the Swan Jtiver at South Guildford, and recreation grounds near the point of junction were under water to a depth of six feet. So swollen was the Helena River that it was 18 inches above the level of the Swan Kiver. At Midland Junction the Muriel street footbridge was under water and a sandbag barricade was erected to protect it. Gardens Submerged. At noon yesterday the level of the Swan River at Perth was oft. lin. above low water mark, compared with 4ft. 4in. above low water mark at noon on Monday. The river swept over the retaining wall along the foreshore at several points in Mount's Bay-road near King's Park. A nearby jetty was awash, and landings at the Craw ley Baths were submerged. At Barrack street jetty yesterday afternoon waves ?were breaking on to the decking at a number of points, and the lower landings were awash. The river level began to recede slowly after noon, but at 6 p.m. it was within about nine inches of the top of the retaining wall at Barrack-street and along the foreshore. The roadway and gardens near the headquarters of the Australian Natives' Association in River side-drive were covered with water, at one point nearly two feet deep. The flood extended on to the Esplanade at the back of Christian Brothers College. Several houses on low-lying land to The south of the Causeway were practically isolated and at one place the water was only a few yards from the South Perth tramline. In the Avon Valley. The position in the Avon Valley yes terday was not as serious as it was on Monday. At Toodyay the river level fell 12 inches overnight, but rose slightly yes terday afternoon. No further rise was noticed, and serious flooding is considered to be unlikely unless further heavy raius occur. At Northam the Avon River rose several inches above Monday's level, but although anxiety is felt in the shopping portion of the town the danger of flooding is not considered to be serious. In the Coolup district all low-lying land is under water. Several roads near Mt. Barker were reported to be washed out. Repairs were being carried out by unemployed. No definite information was received by the Railway Department with regard to the washaway near Boyup on the branch railway line from Bunbury to Katanning, which was reported on Monday. Owing to floods in t'je East Arthur district a train on the Collie-Wagin line yesterday morning had to proceed over a small sec tion at five miles an hour. Reports from lighthouses and ships near the West Australian coast, as far north as Geraldton, indicated that boisterous weather prevailed at sea. The steamer Barrabool, proceeding outward on the Colombo route, was yesterday about thp latitude of Geraldton. The vessel was reported to have encountered a strong gale from the west south-west. Shipping in the Great Australian Bight also re ceived a severe buffeting. Showery weather is expected in Perth to-day, with squally conditions at sea. There are indications, however, that fine weather is apnroachinc.